Joe O. Bragstad

Johannes O. “Joe” Bragstad, 96, of Garretson died Thursday, October 2, 2008 at his home. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 A.M. Monday, October 6, 2008 at Highland Lutheran Church, rural Sherman. Burial will be in the Union Cemetery, Flandreau. Visitation with the family present will be from 2-4:00 PM Sunday at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson.

Joe was born January 16, 1912 at Thief River Falls, Minnesota to parents Martin and Nellie (Monger) Bragstad. After the death of his father he moved with his mother to Jasper, Minnesota. In 1929 he moved to a farm near Sherman and started to farming in 1953.

Joe married Edna Franz July 3, 1966 in Flandreau. They continued to farm until retiring into Garretson in 1975.
Joe worked a few years at Engebretson Hardware Store, the Julius Funeral Home and later for the Minnehaha Funeral Homes for fourteen years. Joe was also a member of the Garretson Five, a group who remodeled the Garretson Senior Citizens Center and received the Governors Volunteer of the Year Award.

Joe was a life time member of the Highland Lutheran Church, where he served on several boards. He was active in the Garretson Senior Citizens, R.S.V.P., and Help. He enjoyed bowling, fishing, playing cards and spending time with his family and friends.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Edna, Garretson; his children, Dennis Franz and his wife Kathie, Garretson; Jean Franz, St. Cloud, Minnesota; Charles Franz and his wife Sue, Pipestone, Minnesota; Joan York and her husband Lee, Lake Wilson, Minnesota; Bette Olson, St. Cloud, Minnesota; twelve grandchildren; four great grandchildren; two sister, Pearl Hodne, Salem; and May Bechold, Syracuse, Nebraska; numerous nieces and nephews, his sister in law and her husband, Gladys and Fritz Kreber, Flandreau and a brother in law, Don Hammer, Tampa, Florida; and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, step father, brother, two brothers in law, a sister in law and a son in law, Dave Olson.